Re: Advise needed: Can I use/learn Oracle quickly?

From: Mark C. Stock <mcstockX_at_Xenquery>
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 18:27:15 -0500
Message-ID: <856dndMJ5NKFaK7dRVn-gg@comcast.com>

"Hans Forbrich" <hforbric_at_yahoo.net> wrote in message news:AqSYb.25773$n17.9601_at_clgrps13...
| Ed prochak wrote:
| > Daniel Morgan <damorgan_at_x.washington.edu> wrote in message
news:<1076961822.545851_at_yasure>...
| >
| >>Ed prochak wrote:
| >>
| >>
| >>>Thankfully I learned ORACLE as part of researching Databases for a
| >>>client company to use. really looking into the underlying technology
| >>>and the feature sets at that time made ORACLE the clear winner for
| >>>their needs. But I also learned enough that ORACLE is not best for ALL
| >>>needs, especially given the costs.
| >>>
| >>>Good luck Erwin!
| >>> Ed
| >>
| >>Apparently it has been a long time since you've checked the price of
| >>Oracle. One can now purchase a license for a lot less than $1000 USD.
| >
| >
| > Maybe an individual developer can get that price (for non-commercial
| > use), or a company embedding ORACLE in thousands of devices MIGHT be
| > able to negotiate prices like that. (that's what was done for that
| > client I mentioned. They bought bulk executable lincenses for use in
| > embedded systems. But that was about 10years ago.)
| >
| > Try getting that price for a small company web server. I'm not
| > currently involved directly in these contracts, but our company has
| > clients paying in the tens of thousands of dollars for their licenses.
| > AND NO they are not running huge machines. In one case, I believe the
| > ORACLE license is costing MORE than the server it runs on.
| >
| > But you missed my point. For a given application, there may be a less
| > expensive alternative that provides all the needed functionality at a
| > lower cost. With open source software now, the out-of-pocket cost may
| > be ZERO. (Support costs are a separate issue). ORACLE is a great
| > DATABASE. But it's only one of many. Pick the tool that is right for
| > the job is all I'm saying.
| >
| > Have a great day.
| > Ed

|

| While I agree with the sentiment, I've seen one too many organzations
| that don't look at the TOTAL cost.

|

| Too often they've ended up paying a small amount for the database and a
| huge amount for the application development just to replicate the
| capabilities of mod_plsql, DBMS_JOBS, intermedia, etc. The final bill,
| when viewed over 3 years frequently amounts to more than would have been
| paid for Oracle and a knowledgable professional.

|

| Inevitably this can be attributed to unrealistic expectations as well as
| accounting practises that keep capital vs operational expense totally
| separated and therefore ignore the true cost of a project.

|

| So yes: use the right tool for the job. But make sure you understand
| the job well.

|
| /Hans

how many times i've been on a project where we spent weeks developing a home-grown function because we couldn't spend the equivalent of a few days labor for a commercial product that did what we needed -- but often, the way organizations are structured, that's the way you've got to get things done. certainly is a lot nicer, though, to do at least a rudimentary cost/benefit analysis

;-{ mcs Received on Wed Feb 18 2004 - 17:27:15 CST